Control of Bed Bugs
The parasitic insect (scientifically known as Cimex Lectularius Linnaeus)often seek refuge in bedding during the day and feed on the bed's occupants blood, at night. Treatment of bed bugs takes on two forms.
Heat Treatment
The treatment is done without the use of any chemicals, but with an elevated level of temperature or heat, which destroys the bugs; thus, making it safe for residents. It’s very effective in eradicating the parasites from homes, condos, apartments, hotels, and any place which provides ideal living conditions.
How does it works?
Heat treatments operate at a temperature of 118°F (48°C) or at 122°F (50°C) for immediate defecation. Specially designed equipment is used to increase the temperature of the room space, in order to effectively kill all stages of the bed bugs’ life cycle (egg to adult), within 90 minutes.
Steam Treatment
The method of using steam to defecate bed bugs is a highly effective technique which, requires a bed bug steamer to be used to kill the parasite, upon contact. The tiny creatures are intolerant to any heat above 50C degrees, which causes them to die as soon as the steam is directed to them. The steam penetrates hard to reach areas such as cloth mattress covers and box springs, defecating bed bugs that live deep inside these materials.
When using insecticides, two varieties are used for obtaining the best possible effect. When applied correctly and systematically, it becomes one of the most effective methods of managing bed bugs. While, there are various brands of insecticides in the market, they all fall within two broad descriptions which should be the base for choosing the best solution.
- Contact insecticide - Used on surfaces which come into frequent human contact. i.e. fabricated furniture.
- Residual insecticide – Used for treating bugs within furniture, cracks and crevices and underneath the surfaces that might come into contact.
However, for treating unhatched bed bug eggs, there is no chemical treatment available. Therefore, once the initial treatment has been done the second treatment should be done after two weeks, after the eggs have hatched.